Ubud Writers and Readers Festival

With the Festival office very close by, I have been lucky enough to help out a bit in the frantic weeks before program launch. A bit of editing, some reading and doing the occasional presentation about visiting authors at Bar Luna.

We have been to the Festival in previous years, but as observers and listeners. It's a wonderful, intimate event and has been ranked among the top writing festivals in the world. So the opportunity this year to take part in a tiny bit of the process has been especially interesting. We will also be helping over the four days.

The full 2013 program has now been revealed and, as usual, the lineup is eclectic and interesting. Some big names, some relatively unknown ones. All will bring their talents to make four days of stimulating conversation. What I have noted before, and I am sure that it will be the same in 2013, is that even the most famous of names leaves their ego at home. You can get up close and personal with some of the most interesting people in the writing world, and the regional writers from Indonesia, Burma, the Philippines are always fascinating to listen to.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival. It was created as a positive response to the first bombing, an initiative to bring visitors back to an island that was suffering economically. The event has probably grown way beyond Janet de Neefe's imagining.

Check out the program and if you love books and writing, think about joining us in Ubud. If not this year, maybe next. I doubt if you would ever regret it.